jeremiahkim wrote:Wonderful photos, but care to enlighten me about what a Sierra balloon is? Is that a thing?

Most people here have probably come across at least 1 balloon in their travels. The balloons are carried up to the Sierra when someone lets them go in the valley. I see finding one as a "rite of passage" of sorts, YMMV.

jeremiahkim wrote:... enlighten me about what a Sierra balloon is? Is that a thing?

When people release balloons, most of the time in the San Joaquin Valley, prevailing wind carry them eastward into the mountains. Their remnants are a shocking reminder of civilization when they are found in pristine wilderness. The Mylar balloons are the most durable. Rubber balloons often rot away and only the string or strings are left behind.

In addition to finding balloons in the high country (yes, I have found more than one), I once found a banged up remote control sailplane (about 5 foot wingspan) on the 9000 foot elevation ridge between Castle and Basin Peaks north of Interstate 80 in the Tahoe National Forest. Guess that one got out of range of the radio controller and who knows how far it flew before crashing on the ridge.

I carried it out, of course. On the way down, I assured other passing hikers that "there were no casualties". :-)